The Trustees of the Falklands Veterans Foundation (FVF)
welcome you to the FVF and Liberty Lodge website

The Falklands Veterans Foundation (FVF) was the first UK based charity for Falklands Veterans and their immediate families
and is committed to providing a network of support and direction for those in need.

The FVF works in partnership with all other Service Charities and organisations providing assistance for Falklands Veterans
and their families.

The FVF is available to point you in the right direction whether it is financial or to assist with any difficulties you are
encountering. Please contact us at: info@falklandsveterans.org.uk.

History of the Falklands Veterans Foundation

The concept of the FVF was initially thought of in June 2002 after the 20th Anniversary Reunion,
which was held in Gosport. In the following months Simon Weston and Mike Osman were approached with the idea of
forming a charity and they agreed to become Trustees. The FVF became a Registered Charity in November 2002 (Registered Charity No: 1094950).

The FVF's aim at that time was to raise funds to assist in the organisation of the 25th Anniversary events in 2007, but it became
apparent that the MoD were taking the lead on these events.

The FVF needed to put its efforts into an alternative project and it became clear that after previous pilgrimages, to the
Falkland Islands, the returning Veterans found this to be very therapeutic, especially for those suffering from Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD). It was then that the idea of building a residence in the Falkland Islands, for returning Veterans to
stay, was decided upon.

Liberty Lodge

Liberty Lodge is now firmly established in Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands, at a cost of £350,000.
The accommodation is for Veterans of the Falklands War of 1982 and their families, NoK of those killed in action and
present day service personnel who are serving in the South Atlantic.

During 'Falklands25', the Commemoration Year, Derek 'Smokey' Cole (CEO, Falklands Veterans Foundation) got together
with Tony Davies to raise the remaining funds for
the project when the awareness of the Falklands War was at its height.

The FVF would like to thank the Falkland Island Government, people of the Falkland Islands, all major Service
Charities, visiting Veterans and all supporters of the FVF since its conception. We would like to especially thank Sodexo, Falkland Island Company and
Stanley Services for their continued support in providing yearly donations to Liberty Lodge.

This has allowed the charity to produce and maintain first class accommodation in the form of Liberty Lodge as a
peaceful and tranquil place for Veterans and their families to return to after visiting the battlefields and
significant locations, which are poignant to them.

For this facility to remain available for the foreseeable future, the FVF continue to actively raise funds for the running
and maintenance costs. If you would like to support the FVF,
please go to the 'Support Us' page. Alternatively, if you have any fundraising ideas please
send us an email.

Latest News

The FVF has been awarded £550,000 from LIBOR fines to assist with flights to the Falklands for Veterans and immediate Next of Kin of
those Killed in Action over the next three years, including the 35th Anniversary of the conflict in 2017.
Read more...

Our special thanks go to Sodexo Defence, the Falkland Island Company and Stanley Services for their continued support and assistance
to Liberty Lodge since its opening.

The FVF would like to welcome Alison Dodd as the new Operations Coordinator of Liberty Lodge. Ali started in January 2017 and
has agreed to do a 3-month trial period. Ali has settled in extremely well over a short period of time and at present is enjoying
her new post. Read more...

Continued support is being received from military personnel based in the Falklands. On Saturday 1 October 2016 four teams of
personnel from each service (Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Civilian) took part in a charity cooking competition at MPC,
which was organised by Capt Fi Blair - the event was a great success. The teams had 3 hours to produce a 3-course meal for 20 paying customers.
It was a tight competition but the vote went in favour of the Army team. All the profits from the event were split 50:50 between the BFBS Big
Salute and FVF Liberty Lodge in Stanley (Sodexo's chosen charity). The event raised £1,728.85 in total.

Once again, our thanks go to the ABF The Soldiers' Charity, the national charity of the British Army, for their continued support in 2016.
They have awarded the FVF a generous grant which is greatly appreciated and will greatly assist us in keeping Liberty Lodge's doors open.

Continued support, which is really appreciated, from the Camping and Caravan Branch of SAMA82 who raised £300 at their 'Spring Camp'.
Read more about this branch...

Our congratulations go to Simon Weston for being awarded the CBE in the New Year's Honours List. The FVF are very proud to have
Simon as their Patron.

Our thanks once again go to the ABF The Soldiers' Charity, the national charity of the British Army, for their continued support.
They made another generous donation to the Falklands Veterans Foundation in August 2015 which is greatly appreciated.

A huge thank you to ABF The Soldiers' Charity, the national charity of the British Army, who made a very generous
donation to the Falklands Veterans Foundation in November 2014. Their continued support is greatly appreciated.

In October 2013, ABF The Soldiers' Charity, the national charity of the British Army, funded a Gurkha Pilgrimage to the Falkland Islands,
which cost in the region of £34,000. Read more...

We are delighted to announce that Gary Clement MBE has become a Trustee of the FVF. Gary has supported the FVF in its cause for
many years and is a great asset to the charity. He also volunteers his services in assisting the Lodge Manager with the running of the Lodge.

The FVF are pleased to announce that with the help of Mount Pleasant Complex and Holbeach ACF we carried out two large projects,
installing solar panelling to help cut the energy bills and installing an easy-to-access bath and additional handrails in one of the en-suite bathrooms.

We are delighted to announce that Simon Weston OBE is now Patron of the FVF and Tony
Davies OBE has kindly agreed to become Chairman. We also welcome Karen Cole on board as our Operations Manager.
Karen has worked behind the scenes since the charity's conception but it is only now that her circumstances allow her to take up this position.